The Japanese have long been famous for creating sharp, stainless, shiny, and durable samurai swords. Besides this fatal weapon, the Japanese blacksmiths came up with reputable knives for people working in the kitchen, especially chefs. 

In this article, we will provide you with reviews of the best Japanese chef knives. Each knife will have excellent and special features. All you have to do is make up your mind which one will suit you the best.

Best Japanese Chef Knives Reviews

#1 Nakiri 6’’ Vegetable Knife From Dalstrong

An outstanding knife is not only an item that can deal with large meat blocks but it can also easily cut and shape vegetables. By using the vegetable knife from one of the best Japanese knife brands, Dalstrong, you can express your cooking skill by carrying out rapid chopping.

Nakiri is made from Japanese high-grade 58-HRC stainless steel. With such a material, this chef knife can cut through any type of vegetable effortlessly and smoothly. What’s more, the PakkaWood handle will ensure a stable and comfortable grip throughout long hours of cooking.

#2 8’’ Classic Chef Knife From Shun

The Shun Classic Knife will bring you an optimal sense of using, no matter what purposes you use it for. Thanks to the evenly distributed knife’s weight, you can obviously feel this 8’’ knife’s advantage when adjusting the slicing targets simultaneously. 

There are up to 2 layers of steel on this item. The core is made from the exclusive VG-MAX steel from Shun, and the outer layer is a coat of Damascus steel. Hence, the Classic Shun knife will ensure you with reliable cuts and edge retention, even if you don’t sharpen it for years. Like the Nakiri knife above, the handle of this chef knife is also a PakkaWood handle.

#3 Global 8’’ Knife

As its name indicates, this piece of metal product has international-standard quality. If you are a fan of aesthetic and sleek-looking knives, this 8’’ knife is a must-have choice. Along with the slim design, the Global item consists of a sturdy built with fully vanadium steel all over its parts, from the edges to the handle. Plus, you will have an excellent edge’s durability due to the long taper blade.

#4 Miyabi Kohn 8’’ Knife

This Miyabi Kohn is a hand-made artwork. Its octagonal shape is beneficial for various cutting purposes like chopping, cutting, or slicing. Besides the unique shape, the ice-hardened steel blade will assist you in dealing with tough cooking ingredients. Since this Kohn 8’’ knife has a PakkaWood handle, you can effortlessly set the knife securely in your palm.

#5 Nakiri 6’’ Knife From Zelite Infinity

With a hammered tsuchime finish and the tsunami rose Damascus pattern, the Zelite Infinity chef knife will show its Japanese origin at first sight. 

The brand has utilized high-carbon stainless steel to form this metal item. However, that’s not all the factors contributing to the extraordinary solidity of the Nakiri 6’’ knife. 

In the cooling process, blacksmiths use liquid nitro because this substance effectively cools down the hot steel while boosting its rigidity. Therefore, this 6’’ knife has a significant ability to resist rust and stain. 

#6 Yoshihiro Gyuto VG10 8.25’’ Knife

It must be a huge mistake if we mention the best Japanese knives without the Yoshihiro Gyuto VG10. This 8.25’’ knife is a combination of the latest material and Japanese traditional blacksmithing. VG10 steel is the element that contributes to the remarkable sharpness of the Gyuto knife. 

Plus, the hammered Damascus finish will take you back to the theme of the ancient Japanese. Don’t worry about the 8.25’’ size. You can still control this chef knife with ease, thanks to the Shitan rosewood Mahogany style handle.

#7 Damascus Santoku 7’’ Knife From Kyoku Daimyo

The curved and wide VG10 Damascus steel blade, together with the lightweight design, will allow you to carry out slicing, mincing, and dicing ingredients smoothly as if cutting through hot butter. What’s more, the Kyoku Daimyo carves its Santoku knife’s G10 handle with golden mosaic pins to bring users a sense of a luxurious metal item.

#8 Kuma 67-layer Steel Knife

You don’t read it wrong. Kuma really inserts 67 layers of high-carbon steel to construct this 8’’ chef knife. These steel layers are adequate enough to guarantee the strength of the Kuma knife. 

Apart from the high-quality core, the knife’s blade has a thin shape that will simplify your cutting and slicing. The beveled handle will stay steadily within your palm when you perform cuttings.

#9 Mac Mighty MTH-80 Knife

Cutting through sticky foods will no longer be a nuisance when you have the Mac Mighty MTH-80 knife in your kitchen. The MTH-80 has a 2.5mm alloy steel blade with extra dimples on the cutting edge, so it can deal with sticky ingredients better than other knives. In terms of controlling, the PakkaWood handle, and even weight distribution will avoid your hand fatigue while using.

#10 Shun Sora 6’’ Knife

Consisting of an alloy steel 16-degree slightly curved blade, the Shun Sora knife provides users with exceptional sharpness. Since this 6’’ knife is a hand-sharpened item, it can ensure durability after constant use even when you don’t re-sharpen regularly. Although the handle is the basic type, you can acquire the optimal grip while cutting foods and vegetables with this chef knife.

#11 Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Knife 

Among all of the best Japanese kitchen knives on this list, the Kyocera knife emerges as the only product that has its blade made from ceramic. However, this is not casual ceramic. 

The material for this product’s blade is the Kyocera exclusive zirconia ceramic. By that, we mean the Advanced Ceramic knife can sustain rust, stain, and even acidity 10 times better than steel knives. Furthermore, the ceramic material makes the Kyocera knife much lighter but still retains the needed sturdiness. 

There is nothing special about the handle. This Kyocera gives you a commonly designed handle with an acceptable grip.

#12 Kikuichi Ginsan Sanmai Knife

If you are looking for a practical knife and not caring about the aesthetics, this Kikuichi Ginsan Sanmai knife is a great option. This 3-layer stainless steel knife can excellently serve all the chopping, cutting, and slicing tasks in your kitchen. Moreover, the walnut handle is shaped octagonal and will boost its steadiness when staying in your palm.

#13 Takamura VG10 Hammered Knife

Takamura knives often come with affordable prices and prominent quality. This VG10 Hammered item is not the opposite. Takamura has taken VG10 steel and utilized the “tsuchime” (hammered) technique to form this metal kitchen appliance. 

The sleek design also contributes to the remarkable efficiency in chopping and slicing of this Takamura knife. And, due to the PakkaWood handle, you can hold the VG10 Hammered knife in your hand securely while performing cuts.

Bottom Lines

Getting a suitable chef knife will assist you a lot in your culinary tasks. From the best Japanese chef knives in this post, you may find a suitable product that can suit your demand. 

The cooking skill is the decisive element, but you can boost your working efficiency greatly with a sharp, durable, ergonomic, and stainless chef knife. Therefore, make up your mind, and decide which one is your choice.

The post Best Japanese Chef Knives-Which One Will Meet Your Demand? first appeared on bestsharpknife.com.

Santoku knives and chef’s knives are the ‘go-to’ knives for many professional chefs as they are versatile enough to perform a range of tasks in the kitchen. This article is about full santoku knife informations and reviews of best quality santoku knife models.

What is a Santoku knife?

The Santoku knife is a Japanese version of the Western-style chef’s knife. It’s slightly shorter and thinner, and is used in place of the chef’s knife by some cooks, especially those who prefer a smaller, lighter blade.

Santoku means “three virtues”. It is used in the kitchen for cutting, slicing, and chopping. This knife is an all-rounder and can do almost everything a typical chef’s knife can.

Due to a flat blade, it doesn’t rock on the cutting board. This makes it less suited for when you want to mince herbs, but a better choice for skinny slices of veggies. 

The Santoku is sometimes made with a hollow edge. The dimples along the blade allow it to cut through meat, fish, and other soft and tough materials without the food sticking to it and reducing the speed and the precision of the cut.

The History of the Santoku Knife

The story of the santoku knife begins in Japan. Santoku knives first appeared in the mid-20th century, post World War II, as a home cook’s alternative to the traditional vegetable cleaver, called a “nakiri.” While retaining the nakiri’s height and straight edge, santoku knives added a friendly “sheep’s foot” tip that curves down toward the edge to form a gentle point.

The Japanese santoku knife is shorter than its Western-style counterparts, ranging from 5–8 inches in length, and is designed with a more balanced weight distribution. The word santoku actually translates to “three virtues” — some say these are meat, fish, and vegetables, while others interpret them to be chopping, slicing, and dicing.

Regardless of which trio you prefer, the santoku knife quickly grew to be the most popular kitchen knife in Japan, and very soon after, found its way into the hands of both home and professional chefs around the world.

What is the difference between a chef’s knife and a santoku knife?

Some Santoku knives are sharpened on one side of the blade only. This is the traditional Eastern way and enables the chef to have greater control over the direction of cutting. Most Santoku knives are a hybrid of West meets East, in that the shape of the blade is curved with a flat cutting edge and the sharpening is 50/50 on either surface. This makes for easier sharpening and maintenance with a traditional steel or pull through sharpener.

A Santoku knife is ideally suited to precision work thanks to the light, narrow blade, which can make thinner cuts, as less food has to be pushed out of the way as the blade makes each slice. Japanese knives require a different technique to Western knives in that they slice through food in a forward and backward motion, rather than Western knives which require a rocking motion, which generally creates thicker slices and takes longer to cut than the quicker Santoku blade.

Size

The differences lie in the details. A chef’s knife is slightly longer (at about 8–10 inches) than the standard santoku (at 5–8 inches). To put it into perspective, a santoku knife blade is about the length of the average hand.

It is, therefore, lighter than a chef’s knife, making it less intimidating and easier to handle — especially for chefs with small hands. (Giada de Laurentiis and Rachael Ray are huge fans.)

Shape and Weight

To add the necessary weight needed in a good kitchen knife, santoku knives have a boxier build (remember, they were modeled after the chunky cleaver), which adds the extra weight that a shorter knife would otherwise lack. Japanese steel is also heavier than Western steel, contributing to the knife’s nice, hefty hand feel.  

The santoku knife has an almost completely straight cutting edge with a less pronounced point. This allows for a clean slice without a pointy tip getting in the way, and minimizes the risk of piercing something unintentionally. Its shape also makes it great for a swift downward chop and most other cutting tasks. But it’s not very good for the fluid rocking motion needed in repetitive slicing.

The chef’s knife with its curved lower blade is much more suitable for this kind of back and forth cutting. It also has a sharper, sword-like point that’s useful when you need to puncture through food items or break open stubborn packaging.

Single or Double Bevel

Another key difference between these knives is the bevel. Bevel is the subtle angle at the bottom of the knife that forms its cutting edge. Basically, the more acute the angle, the easier it is to slice.

Traditional Japanese knives, such as santokus, have a sharper 12–15 degree angle and a single bevel (meaning, the blade is tapered only on one side). Most Western designs, including chef’s knives, have a double-bevel and are usually cut at 20–30 degrees.

At the end of the day, it’s all about being able to cut your ingredients into the proper size for cooking. The santoku knife is naturally built for creating thin slices of meat, seafood, cheese, fruit, and vegetables. These are the finer cuts found in many Japanese dishes. Its wide blade also offers a handy way of scooping food off the cutting board and into a bowl or pan.

Chef’s knives, by contrast, offer a bit more range. Their ability to rock back and forth on a curved blade means you can chop a lot of vegetables quite easily. Having a longer blade and a sharp pointed tip is also useful for disjointing meat and separating chicken parts.

When it comes down to it, with the exception of peeling, slicing bread, or dealing with extra large meat bones, most kitchen tasks can be accomplished with either of these two amazing knives.

What do you use the Santoku knife for?

Useful for almost any job, the Santoku knife is the one most commonly used by Japanese cooks. Vegetables, fruit, fish or boneless meat can be prepared successfully with a santoku knife because its wide blade makes even cutting more consistent and easier.  A mini version of this knife achieves the best results with smaller and medium size vegetables and fruit like a kiwi.  A 5.5″ (14 cm) blade does better with larger vegetables like daikon and onion.

When cutting larger quantities of ingredients, lighter knives will cause less fatigue compared to heavier knives.  The blade profile of a Santoku is straight so that controlling the thickness of slices is easy.  The thin blades on these knives make precision cutting effortless.  Cutting with this uniquely shaped knife use a slight forward motion as the knife descends vertically. Once you get used to it you’ll find that you have much more control over the knife and the thickness of the cut.  The santoku knife offers similar benefits to a typical Western chef’s knife but with the benefit of being lighter in weight and wider in blade which makes it easier to control.

How many size of Santoku Knives?

The Santoku design is shorter, lighter, thinner, and more hardened steel in the tradition of Samurai sword steel (to compensate for thinness) than a traditional Western chef’s knife. Standard Santoku blade length is between 15 and 18 cm (6 and 7 in), in comparison to the typical 20 cm (8 in) home cook’s knife.

Why Should You Buy a Santoku Knife?

A santoku knife doesn’t differ much from a chef’s knife, but due to its rounded end, it combines the functions of a cleaver and a chef’s knife in one. It’s especially powerful for mincing delicate herbs and performing precise, ultra-thin knife work on vegetables. A chef’s knife has a little more weight, power, and length behind it. If you have small hands, you might find a santoku knife to be more manageable. Of course, you could own both.

Recommend selection for santoku knives

A kitchen knife should be chosen for each chef or just one individual, home cook. But some rules will help you choose a suitable Santoku knife from hundreds of different types:

• Acute angle – 18 degrees;
• The blade size can vary from 110 to 200 mm(4 to 7 in), and the handle itself – 140-160 mm(5 to 6 in), depending on the size of the blade;
• Blade quality knife hardness ranges from 52 to 58 HRC units, up to 60 units, a large number will tell about its fragility;
• Better handle to choose wood or rubber, such a tool will fit in the palm of your hand and will not accidentally slip out;
• Airbag will help if the product sticks to the blade;
• Knives in a set can be cheaper, but it is better to choose the Santoku universal knife separately.

How to maintain a Santoku knife?

Maintaining santoku knife nothing much different than maintaining a Japanese knife. Santoku knives are smaller and made from traditional Japanese steel with hand-forging techniques. Deeper blades are another important feature of a santoku knife. We can divide the maintenance process into three different segments.

Washing

After every use of knives, you need to wash your knives. But not at the middle of cutting. When you are done working with knives then wash it immediately. Washing immediately is always safe for the knives. We used to cut different types of foods such as vegetables, fruits, fish, meat etc. cutting each type of food you need to wash your knife. It helps to prevent food contamination. Maximum cutlery companies recommended hand wash. Wash your knives with mild detergent and wipe it with dry clothes or dry it in the air. Some knives are dishwasher free. Those you can wash through a dishwasher.

Storage

Storing is very important. Maximum knives get dull not by the bad use of knives but by the bad storing. Don’t store your knife with other metal tools or knives openly. Use knife blocks, leather sheaths etc.

Sharpening

Japanese knives are very famous for long lasting sharpness. But one day it will get dull. Then you need to re-sharpen your knife. To re-sharpen your knife you can send it to your manufacturer. If it is not possible then you can re-sharpen it by yourself. Using whetstone you can re-sharpen it.  

Review 5 best Santoku knives for cutting, slicing, and chopping in the kitchen

#1 Mac Knife Superior Santoku knife

The Mac is one of the original santoku knives on the U.S. market—and it’s tough to beat. This is our favorite santoku knife, especially if you’re buying your first one.

With a weight of 5.5 ounces, it’s manageable, lightweight, and has a thin blade that comes well-sharpened on both sides. The knife sliced through tough potatoes and minced delicate herbs with ease. It’s no-fuss with a simple finish, lively and responsive in your hand, and great for people looking to buy their first santoku knife.

Buy at Amazon.com

  #2 Misono UX10 Santoku 7.0″ (18cm)

The Misono UX10 Santoku knife is made of high quality Swedish steel. Steel gotten from Sweden is known to have incredibly high iron deposits. They are also relatively pure because they have low levels of fine grains and other forms of contaminants. Swedish steel is also strong because it is rich in carbon.

Each knife contains at least 1% fine carbon giving it strength and durability. This is the same reason why the blade is razor sharp and it retains its sharpness for a long time.

Even though the knife is strong, it can be sharpened with ease when necessary. Unfortunately, the knife is prone to rust because there isn’t any chromium added to the steel.

Buy at Amazon.com

#3 Kyocera Innovation Series Ceramic 6″ Chef’s Santoku Knife

Through technology and innovation KYOCERA introduces a new advanced ceramic cutlery series featuring our new Z212 ceramic blade that will stay sharper 2x longer, a soft ergonomically crafted handle for comfort and control, and an upper angled handle to blade interface that will make cutting a breeze. Z212 Zirconia Ceramic Blade is a new advanced ceramic developed by Kyocera utilizing innovative ceramic material technology. Z212 is an extremely hard material that will maintain sharpness 2x longer than conventional Kyocera ceramic blades. The Ergonomically Designed, Soft-Grip Handle fits in hand comfortably and provides an easy grip for safe handling, and the soft grip material provides comfort and control. The upward angle of the handle to the blade allows for easier cutting on a cutting board. Kyocera Advanced Ceramic knives are ideal for cutting boneless meats, boneless fish, fruits and vegetables. The benefits of owning Kyocera Advanced Ceramic knives are: 

Ultra Sharp – will stay sharp 10x longer than conventional steel blades 

• Purity – won’t brown foods or transfer metallic taste, rust-proof, germ resistant 
• Lightweight – comfortably ergonomic and perfectly balanced 
• Easy to Clean – does not absorb any food elements, just a quick rinse and wipe 
• High Quality – Proprietary ceramic blades are made in Japan, lifetime warranty.

Z212 Ceramic Blade – An extremely hard ceramic material that will maintain sharpness 2x longer than conventional Kyocera ceramic blades The unique ergonomic shape of the handle fits in hand comfortably and provides an easy grip for safe handling, the soft grip material provides comfort and control Upper Angled Handle to Blade Interface – The upward angle of the handle to the blade allows for easier cutting on a cutting board Ultra-sharp; Lightweight; Easy to Clean; Pure; Kyocera High Quality Lifetime Warranty

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#4 DALSTRONG Santoku Knife

The steel in this knife High carbon, ThyssenKrupp German steel is used. High carbon steel ensures you the sharp edge of the knife. Because to hold sharp edges steel has to very hard And high carbon steel is just like that. In Rockwell scale it’s score is 55 which absolutely good enough.  

The design of the blade is mind-blowing. Super polished blade tells about the craftsmanship of Dalstrong knife. The edge is hand sharpened with 16-18 degree angle on both sides and edge retention of this knife is very good as well. The knife is perfectly balanced with the sharpness and maximum resilience.

In this santoku knife, Dalstrong uses pakkawood handle. Pakkawood is a special kind of wood made from natural wood veneer mixed with plastic resin. This laminated handle comes from Spain.

We can see three rivets attach the handle to the blade part. It ensures the extra durability of the handle. No chance of detaching. The beautiful logo of Dalstrong comes in the middle rivet. This perfectly shaped handle gives you maximum support. A stainless steel end cap protects your hand not to slip off.

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#5 Tojiro DP Santoku knife

Specifications of Tojiro knife:
– weight:186 g
– blade length: 170 mm
– blade height at the heel: 46mm
– blade thickness at the heel: 1.9 mm
– blade thickness 1/2 way towards the tip: 1.8 mm
– blade thickness 1cm from the tip: 1.0 mm
– VG-10 clad with soft stainless steel

The Tojiro is quite heavy what goes mainly to the big thick bolster and full tang handle. The knife was delivered well sharpen albeit with a low grit as the edge was quite toothy. But there were no apparent problems – the grind and edge were all consistent, the handle flush with the bolster and pins.  The knife had just about perfect balance of fine edge and tooth – it would shave arm hair with no resistance and it would bite into tomato skin with 0 resistance. Really nice edge to use in the kitchen.

Buy at Amazon.com

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